Guest guest Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 I suspect I have this and will be going for a check up next friday. had psoriasis in my 20's but no flare up for a long time. The arthritis is creepingly getting worse and now am trying to determine if I can get medical help with pain or if I need to get different job or what. How is it diagnosed? Blood tests or medical history or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 Bonita, what kind of doctor are you seeing for your check-up? Ask him to refer you to a rheumatologist. They are more knowledgeable than other doctors about PA and most likely to recognize it. There are no slam-dunk tests for PA; it is diagnosed based on clinical symptoms. The classic symptoms are joint/tendon pain with a history of current or past psoriasis. You may or may not have elevated inflammatory markers in bloodwork. You hopefully WON'T have any actual joint damage that will show on x-ray because it takes many years in most cases (thank God) for that to occur. If you have any of the following additional symptoms, you should be sure to mention them: jaw pain eye pain or other eye problems including blurred vision pain in the chest, particularly upon taking a deep breath pitted, peeling, or crumbly finger- or toe-nails unusual fatigue daytime drowsiness insomnia falling down due to weak or turning ankles dropping things due to weakness in fingers or wrists joint stiffness, especially in the morning or after sitting or lying swelling of one or more fingers or toes, or swelling of joints Others may add some I haven't thought of. These sometimes subtle symptoms may add additional weight to a suspicion of PA. best wishes, sherry z > > I suspect I have this and will be going for a check up next friday. > had psoriasis in my 20's but no flare up for a long time. The > arthritis is creepingly getting worse and now am trying to determine > if I can get medical help with pain or if I need to get different job > or what. How is it diagnosed? Blood tests or medical history or what? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 Hi Sherry, You sound knowledgeable and experienced and I feel desperate to contact people who know what this is all about. I have recently been diagnosed with PA and initially simply didn't want to accept the diagnosis. However, as the swelling in my toes is getting worse and involving more than just one toe on each foot and now that the fingers of my left hand have also begun I have to fact the fact that I (might) have PA. For a long time I have had stiffness after sitting and sensitivity in my feet on waking. All of which is getting worse. But following three attacks of gout in my small toe on one foot I had an attack which was different and on both feet involving the small toe but my baby finger also began to swell and become red and tender. All my finger nails and toe nails became ultra-sensitive in the corners and I could not touch the tips of my toes or fingers. Following a few months of this it began to ease and I began to walk almost normally however I have had to buy bigger shoes and soft socks - my ordinary shoes and socks are unbearable. Slowly it lessened and I began to think that maybe the rheumatologist was wrong. But three day ago the whole thing began to flare and I realise that it is now affecting more toes and fingers and not responding to anti inflammatories. From your experience does this sound like PA and are my symptoms typical? The next question which I am even scared of asking is what are my future prospects with this disease? Can you or someone out there tell me what to expect as this disease progresses, how do you accept it and find a way of living with it and is there any way of slowing it down? I realise these are hard questions but I'd like to hear from different people so as to get as wide a picture as possible. Many thanks, Patrice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hi Patrice, A couple of things here. Why might you think your Rheumy is wrong??? Or are you experiencing some denial?? You have described some very classic symptoms. As far as a prognosis... You are seeing a rheumatologist. GOOD. Now, what has your rheumy prescribed as treatment?? Then, Are you doing it?? PA is not a " death sentence " . It doesn't even need to mean that your life is going to change dramatically. Yes, you may need to start a course of treatment and it may take trying a few different drugs until you find what works for you. While I have only been diagnosed with PA for 5-6 years,I can tell you that my life has changed. Prior to being diagnosed, I had multiple sausage fingers & toes, swollen elbows and knees. I was barely able to walk. I had constant pain, I slept painfully and fitfully for only a few hours each night. Today, I take 10-12.5 mg of Methotrexate a week. I am 98% normal, more active than before I had PA Symptoms. All of my joints are normal. I rarely experience any joint pain. Yes, I have had a flare up or two, But I feel that I " caused " them in some part, by overdoing something or continuing to do something even though I could start to feel the pain. So my message: " Your life can continue mostly normal, probably better than you feel right now, but ONLY if you start treating your disease immediately. " The longer you delay, the longer you allow it to progress, the more apt you are to experience permanent joint damage. No drug will ever fix that. Surgery may, but I think that is a choice that you'd rather not need to make. Stay Well, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 Patrice, yes it does sound like PA and your symptoms follow a pretty typical pattern - including the fact that it gets better or goes away for awhile then comes back. Your future prospects are quite good provided you get the proper treatment. The DMARD drugs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) which include methotrexate, Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, and others I'm not as familiar with actually slow or stop the progression of the disease. They can even induce a complete remission. I'm currently taking Humira. It has helped greatly. I'm hopeful that I will continue to improve and that the flares will become shorter, milder, and with longer periods between. That hope is AWESOME because 2 years ago I had no hope at all - I thought my life was as good as over. One of the best results is that now when I have a flare I don't panic. I just go to bed, take pain pills and double anti- inflammatory, and wait for it to pass. Even if it lasts for weeks, it will eventually pass and life will get closer to " normal. " Just knowing this really helps me to endure. What drugs has your rheumy put you on? If you are only taking anti- inflammatories, discuss with him the DMARD drugs and ask to be started on them. Keep your chin up - it will get better. sherry z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2008 Report Share Posted March 4, 2008 greetings....well, you are your way to a big trouble. if to not get prepare treatment, you will loose your toe cartilage, and this no fun at all, talk to your RA to be on mtx......blessed be,,,,bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.